


schooled

by machellex



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Professors, Established Relationship, F/M, Secret Relationship, summary tag: cassian schools people on behalf of jyn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-24 22:19:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10750944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/machellex/pseuds/machellex
Summary: “I hate you,” she snarls, later, when he’s walking her to her car, his messenger bag swung across his shoulders.Cassian raises a brow. “I helped you, you know.”“I didn’t need your help,” she says, spinning on her heels, eyes fierce. “I would prefer it if people took me seriously without your words.”--Or:Cassian & Jyn are professors in the same department and are quite known for disagreeing with each other. When the department doesn't take Jyn seriously (she's a little hot-headed and too temperamental to be taken seriously), Cassian takes it upon himself to make sure her opinions are being heard.AKA: Cassian schools everyone on behalf of Jyn.





	schooled

“Professor Andor, what do you think?”

Cassian almost dozes through the departmental meeting that when they call his name, he jerks just slightly forward, blinking furiously at the eyes that have now turned towards him. He sees Jyn’s blatant glare in the corner of his eyes and almost huffs a small laugh under his breath. His hand moves to rub against his jaw, feels the scruff scratch against his palm as he sighs. “Sorry—can you repeat that?”

Jyn’s the first to say anything, daring him to rebuke her with dark eyes and a terse frown against her lips. “The budget cuts. They’re trying to cut down on the abroad programs—”

Mothma cuts in. “We’re not cutting down on the abroad programs, Professor Erso, simply providing less financial funding for students—”

“Isn’t that the same thing?” she challenges, lifting a brow, white knuckles pressed against the round table. “Rather than _cut out_ financial funding, why don’t we re-evaluate more holistically who is receiving the funding? Have a panel of professors and department advisors that individually assess each student’s financial needs and holistic application—”

“Professor, I don’t mean to offend you, but I don’t think anyone has time for that—”

“But what about the students who need the funding? Who need to study abroad in order to graduate?” Jyn argues.

Someone else speaks up from the room, lifting a brow, “There aren’t many programs like that. Aren’t you just speaking about your own department, Erso?”

“Any field that requires learning of other cultures highly encourages studying abroad, Draven,” she growls fiercely. She cocks her head to the side. “You would think a professor whose focus is solely on sustainability would see value in cultural immersion.”

There’s a sharp tick in Draven’s jaw, and Cassian intervenes before the poor souls in the room witness what may be their first fist fight if Jyn has anything to say about it. “Yavin University prides itself in their study abroad programs. For a liberal arts department, it doesn’t make sense to cut out abroad funding of any sort, and we should, rather, consider other methods that allow us to provide financial assistance to those who need it.” He pauses as he waits for eyes to turn towards him, assessing the room before finishing languidly, “I agree with Erso.”

There’s a momentary silence as they eye him curiously, slightly in awe, slightly in shock. Mainly, he’s sure, because they’re never quite used to Cassian and Jyn agreeing. 

Draven grunts. “Well, if put that way—”

“It _was_ put that way,” Jyn snaps. 

Cassian stands. “Is this meeting dismissed yet? I have a lot of papers to grade.”

—

“I hate you,” she snarls, later, when he’s walking her to her car, his messenger bag swung across his shoulders.

Cassian raises a brow. “I helped you, you know.”

“I didn’t _need_ your help,” she says, spinning on her heels, eyes fierce. “I would prefer it if people took me seriously without your words.”

He shifts the weight of his feet, gaze deliberate as he purses his lips. His hands shove into the pockets of his parka as he leans back. “So you don’t want me to back you up in meetings.”

“No, I do—” she grumbles, eyes averting to the ground. “But I would like it if people listened to what I had to say. They only seem to agree when you back me up, which is ridiculous—we’re saying the same things. Why do your words take heavier weight than mine?”

Cassian assesses her slowly, eyes shifting back and forth. And then his hand is lifting out of his pockets and gently pressing against the small of her back, guiding her to her car. Jyn begrudgingly lets him lead her, feet taking careful steps beside him. “I’ll fix it.”

“You can’t _fix_ it—” she begins in protest. “You can’t fix ignorant people.”

“I’ll fix it,” he repeats firmly as he opens her car door and tilts his head towards it. An eyebrow lifts in place as he nods for her to get inside. “What are you waiting for?”

She furrows her brows, crossing her arms. “How are you going to fix it?”

“Just trust me.” He pauses. “Send me your points, and trust me.”

“I—”

“Get in the car.”

“ _Cassian_.” When he doesn’t budge, Jyn moves into the car with resignation until she’s situated in the driver’s seat. As he’s about to shut the door behind her, she presses her foot against the edge, halting it. “Are you coming over later?”

Cassian merely squints his eyes. “Don’t ask stupid questions, Jyn.”

And then he’s shutting the door and walking away. 

—

At the next meeting, Cassian lays her points across the table, and no one except for Draven really says a thing. And even then, his noted comment is that though he “doesn’t quite agree with the programming, he can see where Cassian would see value in it.”

Jyn fumes in silence in her seat. They were _her_ points, not Cassian’s, but she doesn’t say this. She's sure, though, if she had lain the points out herself, Draven would have simply shut them down one by one. She licks her lips, crossing her arms across her chest. However begrudgingly unreasonable his promise is, she is trying, at least, to assure herself that Cassian will follow through with it. She trusts him—always has, always will. Even if she doesn’t quite always _agree_ with him. 

“Valid points of subject today, Professor Andor,” Mothma muses as she scans over their meeting minutes. 

Cassian leans back in his seat. “Were they?” he asks casually. “They were Professor Erso’s.”

Mothma and Draven both lift a brow. 

“Well, why didn’t you bring them up, Professor Erso?” Bail Organa asks curiously.

“Maybe,” Cassian says deliberately, moving his hands to dust off his thighs before grabbing his briefcase from the floor, “you could try taking her a bit more seriously. I mean, I quite literally repeated a point that you argued against her last meeting. If we’re saying the same thing, it shouldn’t matter who says it, yes?” 

“But I thought you usually _don’t_ agree with Professor Erso,” Draven says dully, confusion written across his face. 

“I may not always agree with her, but I do value her intellect—she’s a very well-educated professor who has earned her right at the table, as we all did. Can we not argue and still appreciate each other’s insight? I thought we were living in 2017—it’s not a too absurd thought,” Cassian muses.  He stands up then, eyes twinkling at the sight of stunned expressions across the floor. 

Jyn almost grins at the sight but keeps her face tight and void of emotions. 

“Meeting adjourned?”

He doesn’t take a verbal answer and heads towards the door.

Jyn follows him immediately after, but not without a smirk slipping across her face.

—

“Am I on your good side now?” he asks, later, in bed as he’s hovering over her and pressing a gentle kiss to her collar bone. 

Jyn rolls her eyes, but there’s a soft smile on her face and a sardonic grin to her voice. “You’ve always been on my good side.” She lifts her hand so that it brushes against the tips of his hair. “Even when I hate you, you’re still on my good side.” She tilts her head. “You could include me in your plans next time though. I don’t need you to fix all my problems for me.”

He considers this for a moment. Then,

“I’m not fixing all your problems,” he says gently. “I would never undermine you. But sometimes, people need to hear it from someone else to realize how ignorant they’re being. Which is simply what I’ve done. Now they’ll think twice the next time you broach a topic during a meeting.” He pauses for a moment, cocking his head to the side with a raised brow and a cheeky grin. “But I’ll still make it very clear when I disagree with you, so don’t think I’ll let you just walk right all over me.”

The corner of her lips spread wider, a small laugh slipping out of her lips. Her eyes twinkle as her arms move to wrap around his neck, pulling him close. “I do love it when you disagree with me.”

“Yeah? Me too. Imagine! The very idea that two human beings can argue but still value each other’s intellect. Absurd!” 

“What a foolish idea!” Jyn agrees, laughing, cheeks bright red as Cassian presses kisses down her collar bone. “We are, after all, living in the archaic times of 2017.”

“Didn’t you know, Jyn Erso? We’re just not advanced enough for it. It may take another fifty years or so.”

“Well, that would be a shame,” she says softly. “I really do enjoy my disagreeable discussions with you.”

Cassian presses forward so that his forehead leans against hers, noses tickling against each other. A kiss drops to the corner of her lips, and Jyn smiles under the touch. And for a moment, everything is quiet except for the sound of his lips pressed against her skin, the buzzing night outside her window, and the thick air swirling around them.

“A terrible shame, really,” he whispers finally. Then, cheekily, with a smug grin, “But I think I can find other ways to keep you entertained.”

Jyn can only muster a small laugh before Cassian silences her with a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> icymi: [@ma-chelle](http://ma-chelle.tumblr.com/)
> 
> also icymi: cassian & jyn have yet to tell ppl they are dating in case you missed the tag


End file.
